PATENTS

U.S. criticizes ban on imports

Banning imports of products based on their use of patents in industry standards may not be in the public interest, the Obama administration said in a policy paper Tuesday.

The paper, released by the Justice Department and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, says that, in some instances, patent owners shouldn't be allowed to block sales or imports of products based on the use of standards that help products from different manufacturers work together. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which reached a consent agreement with Google last week restricting its use of standard-essential patents, has taken a similar position.

The paper puts added pressure on the U.S. International Trade Commission, which is considering the issue as part of a request by Samsung Electronics to halt imports of Apple products made in Asia. A final decision is expected Feb. 6.

AUTO INDUSTRY

General Motors, making its first major advertising change since ditching its chief marketing officer last year, said it's dropping the "Chevy Runs Deep" ad slogan for the new global theme of "Find New Roads."

The Chevrolet brand's new tagline, which will debut in an ad campaign in the U.S. this quarter, will be used in more than 140 markets. GM plans 20 Chevy vehicle introductions worldwide this year, including 13 in the U.S., as part of an aggressive product rollout following the company's 2009 bankruptcy reorganization.

"We obviously were looking for something that was very simple, that was translatable globally," said Alan Batey, interim marketing chief.

PHARMACEUTICALS

Bausch & Lomb seeking suitors

Merck & Co. Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Frazier said the drugmaker may be interested in buying Bausch & Lomb, the eye-care company for sale by Warburg Pincus for at least $10 billion.

"It's something that's worth thinking about, that's the most I can say," Frazier said at the JPMorgan Chase health conference in San Francisco.

Warburg, working with Goldman Sachs Group, is giving interested parties access to its financial data and seeking first-round bids by month's end, said people with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be named because the process is private. Warburg is seeking at least $10 billion for the business, these people said.

RETAIL

Target to match online prices

Target Corp., the second-largest U.S. discount retailer, plans to match the prices year-round charged by the e-commerce sites of Amazon.com, Walmart, Best Buy and Toys R Us in a bid to boost sales.

The new policy, which takes effect immediately, will combine Target's holiday-season price policies into one year-round system, the company said Tuesday. Target's stores will also match the prices of goods found on its own website, it said.

Target has seen stagnant sales growth as U.S. low-priced retailers fight for market share among Americans hit by stubbornly high unemployment and the tepid housing recovery.

Sears chairman names self CEO

Sears Holdings Corp. Chairman Edward Lampert's selection of himself as the ailing retailer's fifth chief executive officer in seven years shows the billionaire hedge-fund manager hasn't taken his critics to heart.

Ever since he's controlled the company, Lampert has avoided putting a seasoned retail executive in charge of the department-store chain. Instead, he's handed the reins to executives from the supermarket, restaurant and telecommunications industries, and now himself.

Lampert, 50, will take over on Feb. 2, when Lou D'Ambrosio officially steps down because of a health matter in his family, Sears said Monday. D'Ambrosio, 48, will remain on the board until the company's next shareholder meeting in May.

AVIATION

2nd incident for new Boeing 787

A fuel leak from an outbound Japan Airlines flight from Boston to Tokyo on Tuesday was the second incident involving the new jumbo jet at Logan International Airport in two days.

Massachusetts Port Authority spokesman Richard Walsh said the Boeing 787 was towed back to the gate for evaluation Tuesday afternoon after about 40 gallons of fuel spilled. He said the plane had 178 passengers and 11 crew members on board. The flight was rescheduled for a later departure.

On Monday, a fire broke out in a battery pack in the belly of a different Japan Airlines Boeing 787, filling the cabin with smoke minutes after passengers disembarked. Federal transportation agencies are investigating the fire. 787 service between Japan and San Jose on All Nippon Airways is scheduled to begin Friday.